Trooper Charged With Homicide For Tasing ATV Driver Who Died

A Michigan state trooper was charged with homicide Wednesday in connection to the August dying of a 15-year-old ATV driver.

Trooper Mark Bessner allegedly fired his Taser on the teen, who subsequently crashed his ATV and died.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged Bessner with second-degree homicide and two counts of involuntary manslaughter, The Detroit Information reported.

He’s dealing with life in jail.

The sufferer, Damon Grimes, was illegally driving his ATV on the street when Bessner fired his Taser at him from the passenger facet of amoving automobile—inflicting Grimes to ram right into a parked truck. He died from blunt-force head trauma.

Wayne Nation Prosecutor Kym Worthy stated she determined to cost Bessner with second-degree homicide as a result of “he created a really excessive danger of dying,” The Detroit Information reported.

“We won’t shirk from robust instances. It’s all the time robust once you examine officers, however it’s what it’s,” Worthy stated, based on the report.

She acknowledged that Bessner won’t have meant to kill Grimes, however that it didn’t have an effect on her choice to levy expenses.

“He could not have meant to kill him, however that doesn’t matter. The basic legislation faculty check is, in the event you’re on prime of a tall constructing, and also you drop a protected down, you might not have meant to kill, however you created a excessive danger of dying,” she stated.

Bessner was suspended for deploying his stun gun from inside a shifting automobile—a violation of division coverage—and later resigned.

“On behalf of the Michigan State Police, I supply my sincerest apologies to the household of Damon Grimes,” Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the Michigan State Police stated in an announcement.

“Troopers will not be skilled to do what Bessner did, and we condemn his actions. His conduct was felony in nature and deserving of the costs as we speak approved by Prosecutor Kim Worthy. Neither my apology nor these felony expenses will carry Damon again, however I hope they supply some quantity of solace to his household.”

The household has filed a $50 million lawsuit in opposition to Bessner.